Pork BBQ
Tender, juicy, and sticky-sweet, these grilled pork skewers are a beloved Filipino street food and party favorite. Marinated in a flavorful blend of citrus, soy, and soda, then lacquered in a banana ketchup glaze, they’re smoky, savory, and irresistibly good.
Ingredients
For the Pork & Marinade
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, sliced into ¼-inch thick, 2-inch wide pieces
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup light brown sugar
1½ cups lemon-lime soda (e.g., Sprite or 7UP)
½ cup calamansi juice (or substitute with lemon or lime juice)
2 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 Thai bird’s eye chiles, chopped
For the Glaze
2 cups banana ketchup
¼ cup calamansi juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
½ cup light brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, grated
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Grilling
Canola oil (for oiling grill grates)
Instructions
1. Marinate the Pork
In a large bowl, mix together all marinade ingredients: soy sauce, brown sugar, soda, calamansi juice, bay leaves, lemongrass, garlic, and chiles.
Add the pork pieces, tossing well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight—or up to 4 days for maximum flavor.
2. Prep Skewers and Glaze
Soak 10 bamboo skewers in water for 1 hour to prevent burning on the grill.
While soaking, prepare the glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together banana ketchup, calamansi juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Assemble the Skewers
Remove pork from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Thread the pork onto the skewers, folding and stacking the pieces closely together until each skewer holds about 7 ounces of meat. Leave about 2 inches of skewer exposed at the bottom to act as a handle.
4. Grill the Skewers
Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates.
Place the skewers on the grill with the exposed bamboo ends hanging off the edge (away from direct heat).
Grill pork for about 5 minutes per side, until almost cooked through.
5. Glaze and Finish
Brush the pork generously with the glaze, flip, and repeat on the other side.
Continue glazing and flipping four times total, allowing the glaze to caramelize and form a sticky coating.
Remove from the grill and serve hot.
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- Pro Tip
For deeper flavor and tender meat, marinate the pork for at least 24 hours and up to 4 days. To take it to the next level, serve these skewers with a traditional sawsawan dipping sauce (spiced vinegar), atchara (pickled papaya), or a refreshing tomato-cucumber salad.
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